Let’s paint this picture. A young man from rural America is
on the verge of high school graduation. He comes from a good family and wants
to serve his country. He has no prior history of substance abuse or mental
health issues. He joins the military and is placed in a combatant role. He is
trained with the sole purpose of projecting violence in the name of his
country. He is placed in situations where he projects this violence and is
rewarded monetarily, extrinsically, and intrinsically. Traumatic events in wartime expose him to
stress that causes the development of PTSD. He leaves the service and is
expected to leave all else behind with little transitional aid. The distress of
PTSD makes transition and life difficult. Alcohol and/or drug use helps ease
some of these symptoms. He becomes dependent on alcohol and/or drugs increasing
his problems and decreasing his ability to cope. This young man is now in a
dangerous place mentally, physically, and socially. Is coping skills consists
of compartmentalizing, violence, and substance abuse. This leads to family and
legal problems.
Research concerning post-traumatic stress disorder and
substance abuse shows a high correlation between the two. According to this
research 34.5% of men diagnosed with PTSD have substance abuse problems with
drugs and 51.9% of men diagnosed with PTSD have substance abuse problems with
alcohol; an amount that qualifies almost have of our returning vets with PTSD
suitable for substance abuse treatment. Other publications show that 3 out of 4
Vietnam veterans that have PTSD also have co-occurring substance abuse
disorders.
The fact that there is such a high correlation is often not surprising,
especially to those who know or deal with an individual suffering from PTSD,
but many people ask why this is the case. There are four theories that
researcher have established as to the high correlation between PTSD and
substance abuse or alcohol and/or drug addiction. Research supports all of
these theories but vary among the PTSD demographic.
The High Risk Theory states that alcohol and/or drug
addiction occurs before the development of PTSD. This theory has the idea that
the substance abuse itself leads to high risk activities and that one or some
of these traumatic events lead to the development of PTSD. While this may be
for some cases, veterans are not likely to be using alcohol and/or drugs prior
to or during traumatic combat experiences.
The Susceptibility
Theory states that there is something with alcohol and/or drug abuse that
increases a person’s susceptibility for developing PTSD following a traumatic
event. While it is not known exactly what this might be there are theories
available for review upon doing further research. Substance abuse does in fact alter
normal functioning and structures in the body’s systems, these facts are the grounds
for the foundation of this theory.
Shared
Vulnerability Theory states
that some people may have a genetic vulnerability to developing both PTSD and
chemical dependency following a traumatic event. According to this theory these
individuals might develop both symptoms following a traumatic event while
someone lacking this genetic susceptibility might not.
The Self-Medication Theory states that people dealing with
PTSD use substances to cope with symptoms of the disorder. For example
individuals might utilize euphoric drugs to deal with depression or a
depressant such as alcohol or benzodiazepines to deal with anxiety. Either way
these individuals self-medicate to deal with the distress of PTSD. This author
believes, based on actual conversations with veterans and personal experience
that this is the case with most returning veterans that have both conditions.
Regardless of what theory applies to the individual suffering,
there is definitely a correlation between substance abuse and PTSD; many of
these with our returning veterans. Often individuals do find solace in using alcohol
and drugs in coping with the distress of PTSD but they will ultimately find
they have only increased their problems over time. These individuals will develop
chemical dependencies that are difficult to control. What at one time was a single
issue to deal with multiplies.
PTSD in our veterans has been shown to exhibit
itself through difficulty controlling anger, irritability,
self-medicating with alcohol and other drugs, and reckless and high risk
behaviors; an already concerning array of problems that are only exacerbated by
dependency to alcohol and drugs. Now, layer this with a decreased inhibition
and altered moral state that is constructed in the mind of every combatant and
more problems arise. This is an individual in dire need of comprehensive care!
Yet, so many go untreated.
Why are there so many
suffering veterans? Do they lack the desire to get better? Do they lack the knowledge
to understand what is going on? Are we as a society not doing our part? It is
vital that these individuals seek services through the VA or other entities
capable of handling both substance abuse disorders and PTSD.
There is help available for
our veterans. Simply understanding what these veterans face and passing that
information on might mean more individuals who seek treatment for these problems,
and ultimately improve their quality of life; in which they so deserve. These individuals are not treated
appropriately when faced with legal problems or those that do not completely
understand what they are dealing with. Pass this on so that we might fight for
those that have done so for us.
www.MidwestInstituteforAddiction.org
www.SoberWay.org
